9 Important 21st Century Life Skills Our Kids Need

The 21st century life skills our children will need include more soft skills. Parents can play a role in helping their children acquire these essential skills.

21st century life skills kids will need

Making sure our kids can read. Teaching kids their math facts. Encouraging an interest in STEM.

Most parents in the 21st century feel compelled to make sure their kids are strong academically. 

And while schoolwork is critical, research shows there are a number of softer life skills that may be even more important than academic achievement in the future. 

Below, you’ll see what the World Economic Forum and other organizations identify as some of the most important skills our children will need. For each, you’ll also see tips on how parents can help their kids develop these skills. Because, while schools can help kids work on some of these skills, it’s often parents who can have the biggest impact. 

21st Century Life Skills We Should Be Teaching Our Kids

Unlike doing one’s laundry or maintaining a car, the 21st century life skills below are ones that develop over time. In most cases, it’s the way we interact with our kids and communicate with them that determines their ability to learn these life skills. 

Problem-solving

good problem-solver can wade through challenges with relative ease – making this 21st-century skill not only attractive to employers but also beneficial for any adult’s personal life. 

Parents can play a crucial role in helping children develop problem-solving skills at a young age. For starters, instead of trying to do everything for your children, encourage them to think through their own solutions to problems they face. Even minor ones, such as trying to fit a square block into the triangular hole, can be a valuable lesson. 

Unstructured play is also a great way to encourage young children to problem-solve independently. With no clear direction or guidance, children will have to come up with their own rules and ways of figuring out stumbling blocks in their chosen activity.

See related:

How Teaching Kids Problem-Solving Skills Benefits Them and Makes Parenting Easier for You

17 Problem-Solving Activities and Games for Kids

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is defined as: “the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.”

Parents can encourage kids to become critical thinkers by asking their opinions about issues they or your family have confronted. Asking kids about world events can encourage them to think globally as well. 

Kids will be more eager to think critically if their opinions are received with a sense of openness and respect. No matter how outlandish their opinions are or how much they differ from your own. 

That’s not to say that parents can’t ask questions, even challenging ones, to help kids refine their opinions. But a general sense of acceptance is key to encouraging kids to continue to think critically. 

See related:

10 Team-Building Games That Promote Critical Thinking

Books to Encourage Critical Thinking

Communication

Knowing how to be an effective communicator is a life skill that can serve one well, both in the workplace and in private life. 

Kids learn most of their communication skills at home through parents and siblings. The more we can demonstrate good communication skills, the more our kids will be better equipped to interact with people outside their family.

This demonstration can begin as soon as children learn how to talk. Don’t forget that listening is a critical part of communications — not just speaking. The more parents showcase active listening and empathy when talking to their children, the more children will feel heard and understood and treat others the same way. 

Other critical moments when good communication skills can be taught and demonstrated is during disagreements and sibling arguments. Viewing these situations as opportunities for kids to learn will set the stage for them to develop the communication skills they need. 

See related:

Get Your Kids to Listen to You, and Strengthen Your Bond at The Same Time

39 Communication Games and Activities for Kids, Teens, and Students

Ready to teach your child life skills? These cards can help! Each card in this eighty-one deck contains a skill your child can begin practicing with you or on their own. Click here or the image below to learn more.

child hand holding life skills cards

Collaboration

“Collaborate” is just a fancy word for knowing how to work with others. When do kids have an opportunity to work with others? When they’re playing.

For younger kids, imaginary play best promotes collaboration skills. You can’t force kids to use their imagination. But you can give them ample unstructured time, with little intervention from parents, to play with other kids. This allows children to test and refine how they collaborate, as well as fostering communication and problem-solving skills, which, as discussed above, are also important. 

Older kids benefit from unstructured playtime as well, but often learn collaboration skills through organized activities such as sports teams, dance classes, community groups, etc. Parents’ role at this stage is to be available to coach kids through the challenges as they come up. 

See related:

Why Kids Need to Play

Collaborative Learning Resources

Creativity

When thinking of creativity as a skill, try to think beyond arts and crafts. Creativity is the ability to use one’s imagination to come up with original ideas. Creative thinking and problem-solving often go hand-in-hand, as it sometimes takes original ideas to solve a problem.

Even in the 21st century, with the growing automation of many jobs, creativity will continue to be an in-demand skill. Although robots can perform an increasing number of tasks, they still don’t have the ability to be creative. 

Giving kids access to art supplies, building blocks, or other open-ended toys can be one way to encourage this 21st-century life skill. Also, providing kids with ample unstructured, screen-free time can get their creative juices flowing. 

See related:

9 Ways to Support Your Child’s Creativity 

How to Raise Creative Kids (Even if You’re a Not-So Creative Adult)

21 Open-Ended Toys to Encourage Creativity and Imagination

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, understand and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. In 1995, author Daniel Goldman widely introduced this concept in his book, Emotional Intelligence, and made the case for why a strong emotional intelligence is often a greater predictor of success than one’s IQ.

Research shows that emotional intelligence can be learned and improved upon. Which means parents have an important role to play in helping their children develop emotional intelligence. One of the best ways is for parents to use kids’ emotional outbursts as opportunities for connection and teaching, is by listening to and validating feelings, labeling emotions, and helping kids problem-solve their way to emotional resolution of whatever is bothering them. 

See related:

What is emotional intelligence?

What Children Need From us to Be Emotionally Intelligent Adults

How to Strengthen Your Child’s Emotional Intelligence

Persistence/grit

Someone with persistence and grit not only has the courage to take on a challenging task, but they also stick with it to see it through to a successful end. These skills are essential for entrepreneurs, scientists and a long list of other important career paths. 

Parents can cultivate these qualities in their children by being aware of how they respond to failure. If a child views failure as a negative and something to be avoided at all costs, they’ll be less likely to take necessary risks. But if they view failure as an opportunity, and something they can learn from, persistence and grit are more likely to naturally follow.

See related:

What Is Grit, Why Kids Need It, and How You Can Foster It

12 Children’s Books That Teach Perseverance

Tips to Raise a Persistent Child

Are you wondering when your child can begin doing certain tasks and chores on their own? Click here to sign up for my weekly emails and you’ll receive my Age-Appropriate Guide to Kids’ Independence as a free gift.

Initiative/intrinsic motivation

Taking initiative and having intrinsic motivation never go out of style. People who take initiative and have self-direction require less guidance and monitoring and usually accomplish more.

One way parents can help their children develop initiative and intrinsic motivation is to use encouragement instead of praise. Also avoid external rewards (since they have been found to demotivaters in the long run). Normalizing failure, and model these traits yourself can also help. 

See related:

How to Raise Kids Who Are Motivated to Work Hard on Their Own

How to Motivate Children: Science-Based Approaches for Parents

Social and cultural understanding

As today’s world becomes more interconnected and countries more ethnically diverse, our children will need a greater understanding of diversity and different cultures. 

If you live in a diverse neighborhood or area, your child will likely pick up on differences in your neighbors. The most effective way to foster social and cultural understanding – and greater empathy – is to talk to kids about what they’re seeing and feeling. Kids are likely to point out controversial subjects or observations, which parents can approach as an opportunity for teaching. 

If you don’t live in a diverse neighborhood, books, movies, and documentaries can prompt these same types of discussions. The more kids see diversity as beneficial in their world, the more empathy they’ll have. And the easier they’ll be able to interact and communicate with people different than themselves. Which is also an essential skill to be a successful collaborator. 

See related:

9 Children’s Books That Illustrate the Diversity in Our World

How to Talk to Kids About Race and Cultural Diversity

Help your child learn twelve important social skills with this 18-page ebook, Social Skills for Kids. Your child will learn how to be a gracious host, write informal and formal letters, address an envelope, set a table, demonstrate appropriate table manners, and more. Includes easy-to-read instructions written especially for kids. Click here to learn more.

social skills for kids printable ebook

Other related posts:

15 Life Skills Kids Need Before They Leave Home

This One Skill Could Make or Break Your Kid’s Adulthood and You Can Teach It to Them

10 Life Lessons Kids Need to Experience Before They Leave Home

At What Age Can Kids Stay Home Alone?

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About Kerry Flatley

Hi! I’m Kerry, the mother of two girls and a certified parent educator. I believe it is possible for parents to have a supportive, loving, and warm relationship with their kids while raising them to be independent and ultimately self-sufficient. Over the years, I’ve read numerous books and articles that support this belief and I’ve put these ideas into practice with my own kids. Read more about me and Self-Sufficient Kids here.